This invention relates to the field of telecommunications communications systems. More particularly, this invention relates to the field of telecommunications systems employing the Internet Protocol network.
The Internet Protocol network (also collectively known as the xe2x80x9cInternetxe2x80x9d) has steadily increased in popularity as a way for users to broadcast and receive information to and from other parties. Presently, transmission of information relating to audio, textual, and/or graphical data over the Internet is quite common either through electronic mail or websites. Further, this transmission of information is typically received by a computer. Transmission of information over the Internet is often times faster compared to conventional mail and more cost effective compared toll telephone calls utilizing land lines.
There is a growing need to provide audio communication over the Internet which alerts a recipient party through a conventional telephone of an incoming audio communication and also allows the recipient party to send and receive the audio communication through the conventional telephone. Presently, there are solutions which are based on localized look up tables (databases) that contain a telephone number and a corresponding Internet Protocol address. These localized databases rely on the Internet to transmit the telephone number and the corresponding Internet Protocol address belonging to the recipient.
Being localized and relying solely on the Internet, these localized databases have a variety of disadvantages. First, these localized databases are not a scalable solution because standard interfaces across multiple service providers are not properly defined. Each service provider is free to adopt a localized database using their unique format. Further, because the Internet is not limited by geographical boundaries, standardizing all these localized databases which are maintained and operated by independent service providers are virtually impossible. Second, instead of one centralized database or a group of localized databases which are coupled together, the prior solution utilizing independent, localized databases leads to increased maintenance costs, increased network administration costs, and less efficient resource utilization. Finally, the notion of utilizing independent, localized databases which cannot be coupled together neither allows compatibility with mobile telephone services nor number portability applications.
What is needed is a conversion system that allows a recipient to receive a communication through a conventional telephone wherein the communication is transmitted via the Internet. Further, what is needed is a conversion system that maintains a database which is standardized and remains global. Finally, what is also needed is a conversion system that utilizes the messaging capabilities of an Intelligent Network service such as signaling system no. 7 protocol.
The present invention is a conversion system and method that allows a calling party to transmit a message to a telephone belonging to a recipient party wherein the message is transmitted via an Internet Protocol network. This conversion system and method preferably utilizes an Internet Protocol gateway. The Internet Protocol gateway preferably includes a controller and a database. In use, a telephone number of the recipient party is preferably transmitted to the Internet Protocol gateway from the calling party. Then, the controller preferably directs this telephone number to the database. The database preferably matches the telephone number of the recipient party to an Internet Protocol address which corresponds with the telephone number and returns this corresponding Internet Protocol address to the controller. Finally, the Internet Protocol gateway responds to the conversion system and method by returning the Internet Protocol address. This conversion system and method then contacts an appropriate server associated with the Internet Protocol address and transmits the message over the Internet Protocol network. The message is then transmitted from the appropriate server to the telephone number of the recipient party. Once the message is transmitted to the telephone number of the recipient party, a communication link is established between the calling party and the recipient party via the Internet Protocol network. This communication link allows both the calling party and the recipient party to communicate with each other. Further, the Internet Protocol gateway has the messaging capabilities of an Intelligent Network service such as signaling system no. 7 protocol.
The present invention provides a conversion system and method which operates within an Intelligent Network service. Additionally, the present invention provides a conversion system and method which automatically transmits a message from a calling party to a telephone of a recipient party through an Internet Protocol network.